PaddyPower, the Irish company, has become the first bookmaker to integrate its news bulletin with Amazon Echo, the voice assistant. In the best traditions of PaddyPower marketing, the company offers news with funny headlines that sound with an Irish accent. In addition to the news, PaddyPower issues include tips on bets.

Commenting on the integration with Amazon Echo, Stephen McMeel, PaddyPower’s spokesman, said: “Of course, using voice to interact with technology is not news, Apple’s Siri has been around for more than five years — but people are generally too self-conscious to stroll around in Public while barking orders into their smartphone. Therefore, Amazon Echo’s invention is a brilliant idea. Communicating with a robot is much more comfortable at home, where outsiders do not see your deviations.”